No wild shape Druid?

[Honeko]

Okay, so I'm been given the task of being both the meat shield and the healer in a new campaign we are running. So I decided to go with a druid. Druid gets heals and spells, while having a nifty pet to play the Meat shield. We are starting at level 6, and the other two players are a human sorcerer and a halfling rogue. But the thing is, I don't want to wild shape. I want to rely on the Pet for melee, while I stand back with the Sorcerer throwing my own spells. Or riding the Pet, while I throw spells about.

I know about the UA variant which gives up Wild Shape for Monk/Ranger Abilities, but seeing as I'd just use the Favored Enemy for RP purposes, I'm trying to find something else. However, if nothing else is available, I'll go with this. And With Crystalkeep no longer a viable resource, I came to ask you guys.

Pretty much any book is up for grabs, my DM is pretty lenient when it comes to allowing certain things. However, I would like to try to keep mostly to core + UA, Races, Completes, and the Compendiums.

Thanks.

[Soup]

I think it's Complete Divine that has feats to expand your Wild Shape uses, like a cleric can expend Turn Undead (could also be Complete Champion or PHBII, not sure).

Basically you can grab a feat that turns your Wild Shape into a small bonus. IIRC Elephant Hide feat gives you +x to Natural Armour when you expend your Wild Shape. There's a couple of other defensive feats in there as well.

PHBII also has a variant which gives up Wild Shape for smaller (better balanced) bonusses.

Also, consider the fact that with Wild Shape and the Natural Spell feat you can be practically invincible. For example: shape into a bird and cast lightning spells from a distance. Or shift into a Dire Ape, cast Sillelagh and go to town wacking stuff with a basic quarterstaff.

[Golden Ladybug]

Aspect Druid (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm) works, but I'm not really that partial to it :smallyuk:

Its an aquired taste, I suppose.